Accessory for containers



Oct. 25, WQLF ACCESSORY FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 24. 1928 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORN EY Oct. 25, 1932. WOLF 1,884,472

ACCESSORY FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORFrank W0! BYCZ/ M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25, 1932 PATENT QFFHCE FRANKWOLF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ACCESSORY FOR CONTAINERS Application filed'December 24, 1928. Serial No.328,101.

This invention relates to an improved accessory for containers,particularly collapsible tubes for putting up and vending shaving creamand various other preparations,

such as compounds for use in the care of the teeth.

An object of the invention isto provide an attachment or accessory whichcan be conveniently secured directly to and removed from the tube; and,when in place on the tube, utilized in various ways to support the tube,mount a cap for the outlet end of the tube, and for other purposes.

' Collapsible tubes usually have a coneshaped comparatively rigid top,the outer periphery of which forms a stiii bead or flange united withthe body of the tube; the body being'more or less yielding so that thetube can be squeezed to expel the contents. The top with the flange isstronger and more rigid; and I utilize this feature in the practice ofmy invention by so designing the parts of the attachment that the top ofthe tube is engaged and the body of the tube adjacent thebead or flangeis gripped, and even pressedinward somewhat, so that the attachment issecurely held in place by clamping the tube at the point where theflange is disposed. Preferably the engagement is effected atdiametrically opposite points on the tube.

Other'objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth inthe following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, whichshow several forms in which the invention is embodied; and I reserve theright to make changes, not illustrated, but nevertheless within theprinciple and scope of the invention, as indicated by the broad meaningof the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a side view of one form of the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are side views seen from the right and left,respectively, of what appears on Figure 1;

Figure 4 is aside view of another form;

Figures 5 and 6 are side views seen from theright andleft, respectively,of what appears on' Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a view partly in section showing a further modification;

Figure 8 is a view seen from the right of what is shown in Figure 7Figures 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views, illustrating the operation ofthe accessory whenit engages the container; 1

Figure 11 is a side view of a further modification;

Figure 12 is a side view, partly in section, of what appears in Figure11; and

Figure 13 is a plan view of what is shown in Figure 12.

On the drawings the same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

The soft body of the collapsible tube is shown at 1, with a relativelystiii and rigid conical top 2 terminating at its upper end in a threadedoutlet neck 3, which is closed in ordinary tubes by the usual screw cap.Around the periphery of the top, which is the lower end thereof when thetube is up right, is a bead or flange 4. The attachment or accessorycomprises a member 5, which in Figures 1, 2 and 3, has the form of acover shaped similar to the top 2 and fitting thereon. This cover mayhave a depending rim 6. The rim 6 has an extension 7, with two springarms 8, projecting from the sides of the extension and lying parallel tothe length of the tube. The ends of the arms are received in recesses 9in the rim 6, and have external, transverse projections 10. On theextension 7 is a central bearing 11 pivotally mounting a catch 12. Thiscatch is curved, providing two arms, and has a handle 18. The catchmight be made out of a piece of strong wire bent upon itself. By liftingthe handle 13 and depressing it, the two arms of the catch 12 can beswung downward or moved up to I press inward on the arms 8. When thecatch is up as far as the projections 10 allow, the catch forces theends of the arms 8 against the tube 1 just below the bead flange 4 ofthe latter. Thus the member 5 is held in place. It can be taken off byreleasing the catch 12, and lowering the arms of the catch to remove thepressure on the arms 8.

The upper ends of the arms 8 may be pressed against the bead 1, and justbelow the :rin 14 and the two arms of the catch pass un er these fingersto hold the attachment on,

and grip the soft sides oi": the tube 1 below the top 2. This attachmentmay carry an eyelet or hook to enable the tube to be hung up when not inuse.

Of course in the forms shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, there maybe twocatches 12 or 12a, one at each side of the tube, it desired.

The member 5 of Figures 1, 2 and 3 may serve for "arious purposes suchas to provide the tube with a hook or the like to hang it up, as in theform shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6; or carry an arm 17 hinged at 18,bearing a closure 20, with a gasket 21; and this arm 17 may have ahandle 19 to move the arm 17 and closure thereon.

In Figures 7 and 8 I show an attachment in the form of a member or coverSo having projections 22 which are turned downward and then outward at23. These projections are located at opposite sides of the tube and areadapted to engage beneath the flange 4 and press inward against theexterior surface of the tube 1 at opposite points on the circumferenceof the tube. The neck 3 projects through the member 5a, and a rubberwasher or gasket 24 may be between the top 2 and the upper end of themember 5. he projections 22 are of course stiff, but elastic andspringy.

When the member 5a is put on the tube, it is forced downward upon thetop 2, and the projections 22 pass over the bead-flange 4, and thenspring inward towards the tube just below the flange 4, gripping thesoft body 1. This form may also have the cap or the like, the same as inthe form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The mode in which the tube 1 is gripped to hold the member 5, 14 or 5ain place is illustrated fully on Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 shows anordinary tube, and in Figure 10 the numeral indicates a depression atthe point Where the part 22, for instance, makes contact with the tube.This part forces the soft side of the tube inward just under thebeadflange 4, and takes a firm grip on the outside of the tube. In theform shown in Figures 7 and S, the gripping engagement is at oppositesides of the tube, where the fingers 22 are located; and the samegripping engagement at opposite points is given in the form shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3, by way of the arms 8. In the modification of Figures4, 5

" and 6 the gripping is done directly by the catch 12a pressing inwardagainst the side of the tube 1 under the flange 4, over the entirelength of the catch 12a. Thus the member is held firmly on, and the topof the tube is strengthened and made more durable in handling so that itpreserves its shape longer and only the soft body 1 is collapsed anddeformed when the contents of the tube are squeezed out.

In Figures 11, 12 and 13, the member 56 has a rim 6?), and this rim isinterrupted to make room for a pair of resilient fingers 16, as inFigures 4, 5 and 6, extending downward from the edge of the member 5b.The rim 6?) has a bearing 11?) for a catch 12b, and between the bearing11?) and the fingers 16 the rim is recessed at 26 to give clearance tothe two arms of the catch. On the member 51) is a neck 27 to fit overthe neck 3.

To put on this attachment the screw ca which is bought with the tube isremoved and then the cover member 56 is fitted upon the conical top 2 ofthe tube 1 with the neck 27 enveloping this neck The rim 66 extendsdownward past the bead-flange 4 around the top 2 of the tube and whenthe handle 13?) of the catch is depressed to move the catch frombroken-line or to full-line position in Figure 11 the arms of the catch12b pass behind the fingers 16 and part of the rim, up against theflange 4 of the top and hold the accessory fast. 7

The attachment in all the forms disclosed herein thus engages the tubedirectly at the sides under the flange 4 where the material of the tubeis soft and affords a positive gripping engagement so that theattachment is securely held in place.

The construction illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 13 is fully disclosedin my copending application Serial No. 247,499, for accessory devicesfor collapsible tubes, filed January 18, 1928, of which this case is inpart a continuation.

On the member 56 is aclosure cap 28, mounted on a spring hinge 29, whichtends to raise the cap. It is held down by a catch on the member 56engaging a stop 31 on the cap 28.

I claim:

1. An accessory for a collapsible tube having a soft bod and acomparatively rigid top, with a bea -fiange around its periphery, theaccessory comprising a member to fit upon the top, strengthening it andpreserving ts shape, the member having projections extending down pastthe bead-flange, a catch pivoted on said member and comprising a pair ofarms curved to extend around the tube, and a handle on said catch toenable said arms to be forced under said projections against the side ofthe tube to hold the member in place.

2. An accessory for attachment to a collapsible tube having a soft bodyand a comparatively rigid top with a bead-flange surlatter to maintainits shape, the member having a rim portion to engage the upper surfaceof the bead-flange, an extension on the rim portion extendingtransversely of the circumference of the bead-flange, springarms on theextension to be disposed on 0pposite sides of said tube, transverseprojections on the outer faces of said arms, the rim portion havingrecesses to receive the ends of said arms, and a catch pivoted on theextension comprising a pair of curved arms and a handle therefor toswing the curved arms into engagement with the spring arms and force theends of the spring arms against the opposite sides of the tube under thebeadfiange and opposite the rim portion to grip and retain thebead-flange between the rim portion and the spring arms.

3. An accessory for a collapsible tube hav ing a soft body and acomparatively rigid top with a bead-flange around the periphery of thetop, the accessory comprising a member shaped to fit upon the top tostrengthen and protect the top, and spring projections on the memberextending down over the beadfian e and inward, said projections beingyielc able so that when the member is forced on the top of the tube theprojections will give until the ends are past the bead-flange and willthen engage securely with the sides of the tube below the member to holdthe member in place.

4. An accessory for a collapsible tube having a soft body and acomparatively rigid top with a bead-flange around its periphery, theaccessory comprising a member adapted to be placed upon the rigid topand including a rim portion to contact with the upper surface of thebead-fiange, a part carried by said member at a point opposite to saidrim portion to engage the underside of the bead-flange and bind it tothe rim portion,

said part being adapted to press into the soft body and complete thebinding effect, and mechanical means carried by said member whereby tomanipulate said part.

5. In combination with a collapsible tube having a soft body and acomparatively rigid conical top with a stiff bead-flange around itsperiphery outstanding from the body, a

- conical member shaped to fit upon the top and having a rim port-ionoverlying the upper surface of the bead-flange, projections on said rimportion formed to extend across the beadfiange and to engage theunderside thereof so as to bind the bead-flange to the rim portion andhence to hold the conical top to the conical member, said projectionsbeing yieldable with respect to the rim portion and adapted to be forcedinto the soft body inwardly beyond the bead-flange to thereby furtherbind the bead-flange and prevent disengagement thereof, and means inconnection with the rim portion for forcing said projections inwardlyinto the soft body.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name hereto.

FRANK WOLF.

